The Message and Ministry of Jeremiah

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The Message and Ministryof Jeremiah

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A Priest at Anathoth

• a descendant of the priest Abiathar who was
  banished by Solomon to Anathoth (1 Kings 226f)
• Anathoth had a family of priests who descended
  from Eli
• connected to early period of Judges

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Problems with Chronology

• 11-3 suggests a ministry of over 40 years
• no material of the book seems to be connected to
  Josiah
• a hugely important king in Judah
• centralized worship, reformed religion
• Josiah was a central hero in II Kings
• Jeremiah is silent about Josiahs religious
  reforms you expect highest praise!

4
Jeremiah and Deuteronomy

• linguistic linkage between Jeremiah and Deut and
  DtH (Joshua-II Kings)
• Believed to be the intellectual product of
  religious reforms carried out by Josiah
• Yet Jer says nothing about these drastic reforms
  (some say ch. 11 supports Deuteronomic reforms)
• still - his language shows great similarities!

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A Suggestion

• The 627 date of the superscription (13th year of
  Josiah) may have been when Jeremiah was born
• He was appointed while in the womb! (15)
• He died sometime after 586 in Egypt, after the
  fall of Jerusalem

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This is clear

• Babylon is the growing power of the time after
  Assyrian collapse in end of 7th Cen.
• Josiah dies in Battle at Meggido in 609 killed
  in treachery by an Egyptian ally
• Huge shock to the reform movement (Deut promises
  blessings/curses)
• Jeremiahs ministry probably started after this
  (J would have been about 18)

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Historical Background

• Jehoiakim becomes king and an Egyptian vassal
• Babylonians siege Jerusalem 598-7, during which
  time Jeh. dies and Jeconiah assumes the throne
• Babylonians depose him and send him to exile with
  many others place Zedekiah on throne
• for a decade, Judah tries to free itself
  relying on Egypt for assistance
• Egypt provided promises but no actual aid

8

• Zedekiah comes under influence of pro-Egyptian
  lobby
• Jeremiah consistently urges cooperation with
  Babylon and acquiescence to them
• Judah Revolts and Babylon takes Jerusalem in 587
  (major exile occurs)

9

• Babylonians appointed Gedaliah as governor
• Jeremiah wished to stay in Judah
• Gedaliah was assassinated along with some
  Babylonian soldiers
• Fearing recrimination, many leaders left fled to
  Egypt forcing Jeremiah to go along

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Complexities of Arrangements

• poetic oracles and historical prose mixed
• confusing arrangement (chs. 7 and 26 tell the
  same story)
• very Deuteronomic in style and theme
• historical appendix in ch. 52 which is borrowed
  from 2 Kings 2428-2530
• describes the grizzly death of Zedekiah,
  pillaging of the temple, murder of priests, going
  to exile, etc.

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Complexities of Arrangement

• Old Greek translation represent a very different
  text in arrangement
• suggests Hebrew text represents the results of
  many years of editorial activity
• possible that the Greek text represents editing
  done in Egypt
• Hebrew text represents editing done in Babylon by
  exiles
• DSS has evidence of both arrangements

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Main Sections

• Section 1 chs. 1-25 mainly poetic oracles with
  occasional biography (14-19)
• Section 2 chs 26-45 biographical narrative
  about Jeremiah interspersed with prophetical
  sermons
• Prophecies of judgment and hope (26-35) with the
  Little book of Comfort (30-33)
• narratives that deal with the latest recorded
  events in Jeremiahs life (36-45)

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Main Sections

• Jeremiah 46-51 oracles against the nations (in
  Greek this comes before section 2)
• Section 4 Jeremiah 52 taken from II Kings is
  the historical conclusion
• confirms accuracy of Jeremiahs prophecy
• Another approach to arrangement

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Another approach ABCs

• A. Poetry of Jeremiah (1-25) in 3/2 qinah cadence
  which expresses sorrow
• Some scholars believe this is the only section
  actually written by Jeremiah
• thus A above can mean authentic
• B. Biographical prose 26-45
• some poetry interspersed
• represents the narratives of Baruch thus B

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ABC method

• C. contributions of compilers (redactors)
• these persons arranged the texts
• added explanations and headings (11-3)
• redactors had their own goals and perspectives
• yet may represent Jeremiahs substance

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The Burning of the Scroll

• in B (Jer 364) telling tale
• 4th year of Jehoiakim (605) whom the Egyptians
  elevated to the throne after his father Josiah
  died
• Jeremiah dictated a summary of oracles and had
  Baruch read the scroll before everyone gathered
  for a fast day.
• Jeremiahs message of the wrath of God
  Babylons invasion sounded like treason

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Burning of the Scroll

• royal officials advise J and B to go into hiding
• Scroll brought to Jehoiakims attention
• Scroll is read to him and with each sheet, he
  slashes off the read portion and burns it
• Jeremiah dictated contents of the original scroll
  and produced an enlarged edition (3632)

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Jeremiahs new scroll

• the nucleus of the book (A) is the enlarged
  scroll in 1st person
• the purpose of the oracles is to awaken the
  people to the Babylonian threat
• contains oracles from Jeremiahs earlier period
  and possibly of his support for the Deuteronomic
  reforms (ch. 11?)
• yet these prophecies were reworked in light of
  later events

20
Jeremiahs Scroll

• In addition, Jeremiah included other oracles of
  later origin
• One can only speculate as to what the contents of
  the original burned scroll were
• narratives composed by Baruch were added to
  section 1
• Baruch composed his biography of Jeremiah (now B)
  in 3rd person
• later DtR redacted the whole giving it its shape
• superscriptions, interior notations, conclusion
  (ch 52)

21
Reign of Jehoiakim

• What was his message for Jehoiakim?
• Jeh. (609-598) was installed by Pharaoh Neco, and
  thus his puppet
• His first official act was to impose a tax to
  raise tribute for Egypt (2 Kings 2335)
• Jehoiakim completely different from his father
  Josiah (read Jer. 2213-19)
• Josiah aspired to be David, Jehoiakim Solomon

22
Jehoiakim and Solomon

• Jeh. (as Solomon) forced labor to build
  magnificent palaces 2213
• being a king meant living in luxury and style
  vs. 15
• to know God is to do justice something Jeh.
  knows nothing about (vs. 16)
• Jeh oppressed his people and shed innocent blood
  (vs. 17)

23
Jehoiakim and the Prophets

• Jeh. was the only Judean king, so far as is
  known, to have executed a prophet of God
  (2620-23)
• Jeremiah was almost executed except for an appeal
  to Micah and help from friends

24
Jeremiahs Call Doom and Hope

• Jer 110 See, today I appoint you over nations
  and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy
  and overthrow, to build and to plant."

25
Marriage Metaphor

• Jeremiah 21-13 (NIV)
• marriage metaphor (22 also 31)
• legal prosecution 29
• witnesses called (212)
• 314 and 19 Note the change of metaphor
• How does the change of metaphor alter the tone of
  the passage?

26
Story of Two Sisters (36-44)

• Israel and Judah like two sisters
• Israel acted wickedly and sent into exile
• Judah learned nothing was more faithless
• Yet God promised blessing could come if people
  repented
• must forsake idols and commit themselves wholly
• half-hearted repentance will not do!

27
Trouble from the North (45-630)

• rebellion and corruption brings judgment yet J.
  feels Gods anguish (419-22)
• they worshipped foreign idols, they would go to
  live in foreign lands (518-19)
• Yet their hearts are hard and corrupt (520ff)
• an enemy approaches from the north (61-8)
• but Jerusalem is w/o excuse! (69-15)

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The Temple Sermon

• Jeremiah chs. 7 and 26
• Read 71-13
• Davidic and Mosaic Covenants

29
The Temple of the Lord!

• vs. 74 chanted in hope and prayer!
• Davids descendants would live forever in
  Jerusalem (unconditional promise)!
• Hadnt God delivered Hezekiah in 701?
• Jeremiah confronts false hopes
• no magical words or chants (empty words!)
• when God sees righteousness, God will bless!
• God sees not only idolatry but unrighteousness!

30
Temple as Den of Robbers

• Jehoiakim had fully revived the paganism that his
  father sought to eliminate
• People, discouraged with Deut. reforms, turned to
  their former ways with a vengeance (718)
• child sacrifice introduced! (30-31, 195)
• happening in shadow of the Temple
• people going through formalities of worship in
  Temple (78-10)

31
Amending your ways!

• Amend your ways and your doings!
• note Mosaic conditional if (75-7) and appeals
  to covenant law (vs. 8-10)
• he challenges the premise of the Davidic covenant
  (Ps. 46)
• temple refuge
• now temple den of robbers

32
Remember Shiloah

• note 712 and 14
• Shiloh destroyed by Philistines and ark taken
  into their hands!
• another oracle (721-23) has God claim to have
  never asked for burned offerings!
• obedience is all that counts
• Tiggays explanation (free-will offerings)

33
Peace, Peace!

• Jeremiahs word of doom seemed incredible to king
  and people
• they believed Egypt would protect them from the
  storm from the north (216, 18)
• other prophets promised divine restoration
  without judgment.
• peace, peace they said (613-15)

34
Idols, treachery and tears (84-1025)

• God marvels at Judahs wickedness
• Common animals observe laws God had given (87ff)
• they acted as if they had never heard of Gods
  laws and plunge headlong like a horse headed into
  battle! (86)
• 910-11 domestic animals replaced by wild!
• 101-16 Why worship made by hands? (read this
  passage)

35
Jeremiahs Confessions (111-2018)

• chs 11-20 has Jeremiahs Confessions
• prophets personal cries and complaints to God
• 1118-20 121-6 1510-21 1714-18 1818-23
  207-18
• he struggled personally mocking, persecution
• he also struggled with God himself.
• did God not see his pain? why did he have to
  suffer so much to be faithful to his call?

36
The Potters House (181-915)

• read v. 1-12
• he watches the potter re-fashion the clay
• what is the spiritual message?
• As the potter fashioned clay, so the Lord shapes
  the nations according to his design.
• decreed judgment can be lifted w/repentance and
  blessings can be removed by unrepentant
  sinfulness.

37
Potter continued

• people should not assume either blessing or curse
  God can change courses dependant on the facts
  on the ground
• God isnt fate yet not capricious
• not set in stone with wrath or blessing
• not willy-nilly with whimsy
• 191-2 smashed earthen jar also a testimony of
  danger of wrath
• Play on words Jug babuq make void babaq

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Smashing of the babuq ch. 19)

• J. described the sins of Judah which included
  infant sacrifice
• terrible things are coming which includes
  cannibalism of children! (v. 9)
• in smashing the jug, he seems to indicate the
  irrevocable nature of judgment.
• Hinnom Valley will became a place of slaughter.

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Infant Sacrifice in Hinnom (193f)

• Earthenware jug is to be smashed in Hinnom (192)
• valley where infant sacrifice is practiced near
  Jerusalem (730f, 194f)
• Tophet platform for infant sacrifice
• Josiah had already banned this practice (2 Kings
  2310)
• things I did not command but did people think
  God had? (Exod 2229-30 vs. Lev 1821)

40
Jeremiah and the Prophets (239-40)

• J. often battled false prophets
• people are not to listen to them (2315f)
• they speak from their own minds and are deluding
  themselves claiming all is well
• these are people not called, not sent by God
  (21f)
• they are prophesying lies in Gods name (25f)
• who would you believe?

41
Book of Comfort (chs. 30-33)

• it may seem that God had cast his people aside as
  having no hope . . . but no!
• a glorious future will follow judgment (read
  301-3)
• Israel will return to the Land and to God
  (301-3140)
• 304-11 after judgment, God will break the yoke
  and a Davidic king will again rule Israel
• this was never fulfilled in Israel but was in
  Christ of the line of David (Luk 132-33)

42
Comfort and Covenant

• God is determined to honor his covenant of
  blessings (313)
• God promises a joyful restoration of all Israel
  with festival pilgrimages (311-6)
• Jer 3115-17 Rachael weeps for loss of 10
  northern tribes (see Matt 218)
• 3121-26 the return of the northern tribes from
  exile set out with markers

43
Old Covenant and New (3131-34)

• after exodus, God vowed to bless them if they
  lived in faithful obedience
• Israel broke the covenant and went to exile
• God promises a new improved covenant
• New laws will be written on their hearts, not on
  tablets of stone (v 33)
• God will provide a new internal compulsion to
  know the Lord (v 34)

44
New Hearts and Covenants

• NT declares Jesus to be the mediator of the New
  Covenant (Heb 87-13)
• Christs sacrifice brings forgiveness and new
  life to all who place faith in him (Rom 321-24,
  51-2)
• God guaranteed his promise to Jeremiah by
  appealing to nature (3135-37)
• sun, moon and starts would change courses before
  his promises would fail.

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Overview of the Rest

• Failures in Leadership (341-3918)
• leadership doesnt keep its word (341-22)
• hasnt learned obedience (351-19)
• refuses to respect Gods word (361-32)
• refuses to listen to Gods prophet (37-38)
• Jerusalem pays a tragic price (391-18)
• Jerusalem continues to be in trouble even after
  the fall and fails to learn (chs. 40-41

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Oracles about the Nations (461-5164)

• Egypt ch. 46
• Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Babylon, etc.
• Read Moab (4814-20)
• descended from Lot, Abrams nephew
• pride lay at the heart of their problems had
  not faced hostility from major world powers?
• even their god Chemosh will go into exile
• Yet hope is held out for their restoration
  (4847)

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Themes Surgeons knife

• Gods true word is like a surgeons knife
  painful but necessary
• judgment was the beginning of restoration and
  true spiritual health
• 822 Balm in Gilead (known for its healing
  ointments)
• Yet people continue in their stubbornness and
  rebelliousness of heart (523)

48
Obligation to Covenant

• obedience in form of love and faithfulness
• social ethics required in covenant
• blood of innocent poor on the skirts of the rich
  (234)
• of the oppression of the alien, the orphan, the
  widow and the innocent (76).
• commanded to execute justice and deliver the
  oppressed (2111).

49
 The Possibility of Repentance

• Jer 1716-20 intercession prohibited
• 1323 Can the Ethiopian change his skin       
  or the leopard its spots?        Neither can you
  do good        who are accustomed to doing evil.

50
The Devious Heart

• heart is rebellious and stubborn (523)
• The heart is devious above all else it is
  perverse who can understand it? (179)
• original sin??

51
The Devious Heart - metaphors

• a horse wildly plunging into battle (86)
• birds with no homing instinct (87)
• restless waves which go beyond their bounds
  (520ff)
• Israels sin is etched on their hearts as with a
  iron or diamond point (171-4)
• It is so natural, no one knows how to blush for
  it (812).

52
Real Cleansing

• popular prophets teach short cuts
• Jeremiah 2329 "Is not my word like fire,"
  declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks
  a rock in pieces?
• 156 You have rejected me," declares the LORD.
         "You keep on backsliding.        So I
  will lay hands on you and destroy you        I
  can no longer show compassion.

53
The Transcendent Judge

•  2323 "Am I only a God nearby,"        declares
  the LORD,        "and not a God far away?
•  24 Can anyone hide in secret places        so
  that I cannot see him?"        declares the
  LORD.        "Do not I fill heaven and earth?"
         declares the LORD.
• 51-3 Divine Diogenes searches for one righteous
  man

54
Two Notes on Judgment

• God is at work through human events.
• Go to the house of the potter. ch. 18
• Gods wrath as a removal of protection which
  allows events achieve their unintentional results
• natural consequences
• (619, 1710) fruit of their devices

55
New Community and Covenant

• Jeremiah purchases a field ch. 32
• A new day of restoration for the Houses of both
  Israel and Judah
• Jeremiah 3131-34
• Jeremiah builds and plants the church

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